Youth-payment allowance hike should be applicable to intl students: National Union of Students Head

Australia’s National Union of Students President Molly Willmott has applauded the federal government’s decision to boost students’ youth-payment allowance by $550 a fortnight and said the same amount should be paid to international students as they were just as exposed to insecurity in housing, income and education as local students.

She has also called for more support for international students, who they say are now paying a premium for “an online degree they could receive anywhere in the world”.

The union listed five other demands, including reducing international student fees by 20% for online classes and extending some student visas by 12 months.